Boynton kitchen aided ‘Shark Tank’ duo
Firefighters working with Mark Cuban to expand their fish dip started at Hour Cucina.
BOYNTON BEACH — A South Florida firefighting duo is working with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to expand their smoked fish dip line after striking a deal with him on the “Shark Tank” television show.
James Arcaro and Steven Markley’s episode aired Sunday on ABC. The two asked for $75,000 for a 25 percent share of their Reely Hooked Fish Co. and they hooked Cuban for that deal.
Arcaro is from Key Largo and Markley from Fort Lauderdale, but they work out of a Boynton Beach kitchen that’s become somewhat of a business incubator space for the public run by Susan Levin and two partners.
“They’re really good people and I’m very excited for them,” Levin said. “What can you say? We had a little part in it.”
Arcaro says Levin played a “crucial role” in their success.
“I can’t say enough good things about Susan,” Arcaro said. “We’re very grateful she was part of our grass roots.”
Levin opened the kitchen, Hour Cucina, on Federal Highway about two years ago with two partners who provided financing and
business expertise. Hour Cucina is a commissary kitchen available to rent for caterers and small-batch producers so they can work toward obtaining a license and operating a business.
“We’ve found a lot of people come to us not knowing where to start or what they need,” Levin said. “We’re kind of evolving into a business incubator but that wasn’t our
intention when we started.”
Arcaro and Markley came to the kitchen about a year and a half ago, she said. They were looking for a space to make small batches to sell their dip at green markets and festivals. While there, Levin, who also has a Biscotti business, worked with them to obtain their wholesale license. They typically spent about six or seven hours a month in the kitchen, she said.
The fish dip is made with king mackerel and has Greek yogurt and apples. One 8-ounce container is 245 calories and 32 grams of protein, and is sold for $10. By the time of the show, filmed in June, the duo — who were both Wildland Firefighters — had sold about $10,000 worth of the dip in three months.
Since the show, Arcaro has turned all his time toward the business.
The dip is available in five restaurants on the west coast, and can be bought at the Key Largo Fisheries where it is made.
Levin said the 19 clients at the Boynton kitchen want to speak with Arcaro about his experience.
“Because we have some people who have a unique product,” she said.
There’s one person who makes vegan, gluten-free empanadas and another who makes Indian food.
Levin and her partners said the duo’s success shows the importance of commissary kitchens.
“We need more of them. The problem is finding a place to put one up and having the capitol to do it,” she said. “It’s not cheap if you’re going to do it right.”
How could that problem be solved?
Levin has an idea: “I keep telling my partner we need to go to Shark Tank for our business model.”